Boondocking in the HIKE 100 FLX at Overland Expo East

Boondocking in the HIKE 100 FLX at Overland Expo East
Plus, learn why this is a must-visit event for off-road adventure lovers.

By: Austin & Kirsten Lawrence (@Adv4two)

Every year in October, Overland Expo East takes place at Oak Ridge Estate in Arrington, VA. This event is full of like-minded campers and off-road enthusiasts. There are several ways of attending the Expo, including multi-day onsite camping or purchasing a day pass to attend the event on a specific day. 

The expo usually happens Friday-Sunday of Columbus Day weekend. This year’s Expo East event will take place October 6-8, 2023.

Camping at Overland Expo East

Our choice of adventure is the onsite camping. You can submerse yourself in all the cool rigs from adventure bike tent campers to Winnebago HIKE 100s (like ours!), Revels, and EKKOs. At Expo, it doesn’t matter how you camp, it only matters that you get out there and enjoy nature with the community. 

Every year, new friendships are formed with your camp neighbors and others you will connect with – whether it’s just a simple conversation or product demonstration.

A bonus of camping at the expo is that raffles and giveaways are also held after hours for the onsite campers during the nighttime activities. Proceeds go to the Overland Expo Foundation which protects public lands and defends the use of overland vehicles.

While camping with the Winnebago HIKE 100 1316SB FLX last year at Expo East, we used it to its fullest capability while boondocking onsite for three days. 

The 30-gallon onboard freshwater tank supplied enough water for our cooking, dish washing, showering and toiletry needs. On the warmer days, we would utilize the Truma Aventa A/C to cool down while taking a break from the events at the expo. 

Every night we stayed nice and warm inside the HIKE 100 by using the Truma VarioHeat – even though the temps got near or even below freezing outside. Cooking was done easily by using the infrared cooktop or using a burner outside on the fold-down portion of the fender well box. 

Plus, the powered awning and LED lights made a great gathering place for socializing with our camping neighbors any time of day or evening. And the walkable roof made for spectacular views of the entire grounds and Overland Expo event.

What to Expect at Overland Expo East

We’ve been attending Overland Expo for several years now. Last year, we had the pleasure of attending and participating with the team at Winnebago. An event such as Overland Expo East is a great way to check out new adventure vehicles, and Winnebago will have a variety of RVs on hand to tour. 

There will be Winnebago product specialists onsite during this event to answer any questions you may have and to show you how everything operates with each unit. We had a blast last year helping to show off the all-new HIKE 100 1316SB FLX.

See You this October!